“I know you wouldn’t even DREAM of doing this normally, but my bike (above) got robbed by ‘youths’ in [Dublin] town on Friday night, and it’s making me sad. I would appreciate it terribly if everyone kept an eye out for it. These bikes have a habit of popping back up around Dublin. At the time of whippage, the right handle bar was bent inwards. It also has a very distinct glow from being loved so much.”

Last month I launched a new app for laundry and dry cleaning in Dublin. It’s basically a set-up like Uber or Hailo for getting your clothes cleaned. No more rushing to the cleaners either as it runs ‘till late. You just download the app, select what you want cleaned and we come and collect it from you wherever you are….

I’m a Dublin native who’s always been tech obsessed. Love gadgets and anything that makes my life a bit easier. I was working in finance for 4 years and ironing shirts & getting to the dry cleaners was a bit of an inconvenience, either they were closed after work or I didn’t get up early enough on a Saturday morning. Decided I couldn’t be the only one and there had to be an easier way….;

Here’s our short documentary about a pair of peregrine falcons nesting on the Poolbeg chimneys. Since we made the film, they have had two chicks, which flew the nest a few weeks ago and are still in the area.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, responding to questions at a forum on homelessness last December, following the death of Jonathan Corrie. The man holding the sign behind Mr Kelly is David Finn, whose father Noel Finn died after living homeless for seven-and-a-half years in Clondalkin

Further to the news that Dublin City Council’s homeless budget has been left with an €18.5million shortfall, Fianna Fail Dublin City Councillor Paul McAuliffe spoke to Cathal MacCoille this morning on Morning Ireland.

Cathal MacCoille: “Dublin City Council says the Government has left it €18million short in tackling homelessness with Assistant Chief Executive Richard Brady told councillors last night that the deficit is serious and could affect services. The councillors looked for funding of over €55million last April but were informed by the Department of the Environment that it will just get €37million for this year. Paul McAuliffe is a Fianna Fail councillor on Dublin City Council and he’s with us now. Good morning Paul, you’re welcome to the studio this morning.”

Paul McAuliffe: “Thank you.”

MacCoille: “Was this a surprise, you only found out last night?”

McAuliffe: “Yeah, I suppose the figures were circulated to the Corporate Policy Group which is a cross-party group which is tasked with running the councillors and running the budget and really, not only the decision, but the scale, the €18.5million really did take back many councillors. It was in marked contrast to the commitment that the Minister [for the Environment, Alan Kelly] gave last December, following the death of Jonathan Corrie, when he said that finances would not be an issue in terms of taking people off the streets. And when we have over 1,000 children in emergency accommodation, to put that very last front of emergency accommodation, to put that at risk, by withdrawing funding and not making funding available, really, it has to be questioned why the minister hasn’t stepped in and discussed this with his officials.”

MacCoille: “Is the problem bigger than you expected?”

McAuliffe: “Absolutely, we set aside, the service would cost €68million in total. We set aside a budget of €55million and we set a contingency of five as well but the department have only come back with €37million, it’s a huge shortfall, it’s just 60% of the total cost, rather than the 90% which is required.”

MacCoille: “The Department say that the €55million, that Dublin City Council knew that the allocation, the national allocation was €55million, an increase they say of €10million or 22% on last year and that if your request had been acceded to, no other city, town or county would have received any allocation. This was not a tenable option.”

McAuliffe: “Well perhaps they should have told their own minister because he did not make that clear last December. We were told to go ahead and ensure that people were not left on the streets, that people were put into emergency accommodation, that we were to turn around the voids in the city and on all of those issues, on all of those budgets, the minister has fallen short.”

MacCoille: “If the problem is bigger than expected by you, or indeed by Government, then obviously, the money that was originally allocated nationwide wasn’t going to be enough, is that fair?”

McAuliffe: “Absolutely, and I think that’s a matter for the minister to respond to. It has been clear all of last year and every month of this year that the homeless crisis is increasing.”

MacCoille: “So there’s no guarantee that even if you get the €55million you requested that even that would be enough?”

McAuliffe: “Yeah, we have, we had more than 30 people a month presenting as homeless last December. We now have more than 60 people in May and June representing each month.”

“Housing activists in Dublin have “reclaimed” a former hostel that has been vacant for three years, saying they will soon open it up to house homeless families.”

“Formerly known as Bolton House, the building on Bolton Street is owned by Dublin City Council and was used to accommodate homeless people before being closed in 2011.”

“In recent weeks however, organisations that have emerged in response to the housing crisis came together as the Irish Housing Network and identified the building as one they could quickly put back to use as emergency accommodation.”

“Among the nine groups involved are the North Dublin Bay Housing Crisis Committee, the Housing Action Network, Lending Hand and An Spréach, which means “Spark” in Irish.

Meanwhile, on its Facebook page, the people behind Bolt Hostel, write: